Slip



3, 1954 v. BAILEY 2,685,088

\ SLIP Filed Dec. 31, 1951 INVENTOR. VIOLET BAILEY 5 9 MMMM atl'omcy,

Fly. 6 BY Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Claims.

The invention relates to a ladys undergarment or slip of the so-called full type which is a full length garment including shoulder straps in its construction.

Many factors govern the design of the modern slips herein visualized. For example, it is considered highly important that such garments cling to the upper anatomy and fit very smoothly at and above the waist to the end that the component fabric will not wrinkle or pucker to produce prominences which are not only uncomfortable to the wearer but which are objectionably apparent through the outer clothing. For this reason, the top part of the slip is required to be worn under some tension, not only longitudinally, but also laterally. Longitudinal tension is not a serious problem inasmuch as it is provided by the inherent weight of the slip itself. The principal concern is, therefore, with lateral tension which was heretofore mostly provided by circumferential or body encircling facilities.

Furthermore, modern slips are also required to be worn high enough to cover the bust completely or almost completely. This requirement necessarily places the top margins of the garment at a level somewhat higher than that of the armpits. The aforesaid need for circumferential tension consequently made it obligatory, heretofore, to introduce fabric under the armpits which, in turn, predisposed to chafing and irritation in these very critical regions; a broad object of the invention bein to provide a slip inwhich these disadvantages are substantially obviated.

It will be apparent that the prevention of underarm chafing can most logically be achieved by the elimination of fabric from the Susceptible areas. However, most attempts to do so in connection with prior slips have always resulted in the concomitant abatement of circumferential tension at the top of the slip where it is, perhaps most urgently, required. Those portions of the slip were thus allowed to sag or gape and create the unpleasant and unsightly situations hereinbefore referred to. Nevertheless, since underarm chafing can most effectively be avoided by the elimination of fabric therefrom, it is also an object of the invention to provide a slip whose upper portion is still tensed uniformly laterally notwithstanding that the sides of the slip are cut comparatively low and do not reach to the armpits.

More specifically, the invention seeks to provide a slip whose upper front portion is capable of being tensed across the wearers chest between linear stay areas at the sides of the said front portion, thus obliterating the prior urgent need for circumferential tension and hence rendering it entirely feasible to confine such circumferential tension to the thoracic region below the armpits; this being another important object of the invention.

Other objects of the invention, more or less broad than the foregoing, will become apparent from the hereinafter fOllOWiIlg description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustrated, by way of example only, in the annexed drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts of the invention and wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of the instant slip split centrally along its back and spread out; the various sections or portions thereof to which reference will subsequently be made being isolated thereon by broken lines;

Fig. 2-a front elevational view of the slip as it appears when it is worn; the broken lines in Figure 1 being carried over into this view;

Fig. 3an elevational view somewhat similar to Figure 2 showing one side and a part of the front of the slip;

Fig. 4-an elevational view showing the back and a part of the side of the slip; part of the back being torn away, and

Fig. 5an elevational view of a detail of the slip.

The invention comprises a plurality of fabric sections of appropriate shape and dimension interconnected to form a slip S having a skirt Ill with a diametrically narrowed waist H and an integral vest 82 having a front panel l3, relatively low sides Hll4, and a back 15. For a proper explanation of the inventive idea embodied therein, the slip S is herein illustrated and treated as a tri-dimensional object (which it actually is when worn) hence the present reference to the sides ill-l Moreover, it will be understood that the said sides l4-ll do not meet with the front panel l3 at sharply defined and easily recognizable corners but, instead, blend therewith along curved longitudinal areas which, for want of better terminology, will hereinafter be referred to as the anterior curvatures ltl6.

It should, perhaps, be pointed out that the division of the slip S into the above-mentioned parts or elements is an arbitrary measure intended solely to facilitate and to clarify further discussion of the invention and that such division does not require to be physically reproduced in the garment itself. That is to say, the said parts do not necessarily correspond in shape or in dimension to the aforesaid fabric sections of which the slip S is actually constructed.

Thus, in Figure l, the blank B is divided into its two major portions (the skirt Ill and vest I2) by spaced parallel horizontal broken lines a-a; the said broken lines being also reproduced on other views for substantially the same purpose. A scrutiny of the various views will therefore reveal the waist I I to be a relatively broad member (axially) which is drawn-in with respect to the rest of the slip S At its upper corners the front panel I3 is fitted with breast cups I7I I in the conventional manner. Also in the conventional manner, the upper margins of these members are defined by peaks I8 -I8 to which the shoulder straps I9I9 are attached. In this case, the outer edge 20a of each peak I8 is made unusually steep with reference to the longitudinal axis of the slip S; the reason therefor becoming subsequently apparent.

Each edge 26a is rendered non-stretchable or inelastic by means of stitching, binding, or like expedient of the prior art and such treatment is continued almost rectilinearly into the front panel I3 until it intersects the contiguous anterior curvature I6 at point X; the initial inclination of the edge 20a and its continuation 20b being mainly vertical so that the intersection will occur at or near the waist II. As seen in Figure 1, the edge Mia and its continuation 20b do not appear to form an entirely straight line; it being more or less sinuous. However, when the slip S is worn, the line formed thereby becomes practically straight, albeit diagonal. continuation 202) may be curved substantially horizontally at the point X on the anterior curvature 6 and extended therefrom towards the back of the waist ii. Irrespective of their final character, however, the edge 20a, and its continuation 2% will hereinafter be inclusivelyreferred to as a stay area 20.

Preferably, the slip is so constructed that the stay areas 2029 mark the lateral boundaries of the front panel I3, thus defining a rounded valley 2| (Fig. 4) mainly at the back of the slip S within which there is disposed the insert 22 (Fig. to which the shoulder straps Iii-I9 are fastened and which is itself fastened to the stay areas 20 as well as to the Waist I i and forms the back I5 and the sides I4I4 of the vest I2.

Disregarding the insert 22 and dealing only with the stay areas 28-40 for the moment, it will be apparent that the latter-named elements tend to relatively firm positioning; the upper ends thereof being under the restraint of the shoulder straps I9-i 9 while their lower ends are held down not only by the weight of the skirt II] but also by the waist H which, owing to its narrowness, pinches the body of the wearer and, being thus normally prevented from rising, thereby consequently provides a lower anchorage for the stay areas 20-29. Therefore, being taut against the anatomy and being, moreover, inelastic, the stay areas 26-20 strongly resist any lateral tension tending to draw them together such as would arise if the front panel I3 were to wrinkle or pucker. Thus, the stay areas 2il2il by themselves incline to maintain the intervening fabric of the front panel I3 in a comparatively smooth state irrespective of any circumferential tension.

The insert 22 is thus relieved of part of its function which, in the prior equivalent, was to apply circumferential tension. In the circum- Optionally, the

stances, it is quite feasible to eliminate the insert 22 altogether, and to attach the shoulder straps I9I 9 elsewhere on the back of the slip S. However, it is not essential to do so, and if it is used, its height may safely be reduced to a level well below that of the armpits without affecting lateral tension.

Thus the invention provides a slip S whose vest portion i2 is tensed both longitudinally and laterally. In addition, the said lateral tension is applied to that portion of the vest I2 which lies between the stays 20-20 in consequence of which the sides id-Id and the back I5 thereof can be kept well below the level of the armpits with the obvious elimination of irritating fabric in the underarm regions.

It is noteworthy that, apart from overcoming the past disadvantages above stated, the herein visualized slip design also introduces new and interesting possibilities into the art generally. It will be understood that slip fronts require special provisions to be made therein with respect to anatomical contours. Consequently much more attention is paid to such front than to any other part of the garment; it being sought to make this member fit its wearer properly without being affected by any irregularity in fit of the remainder.

Heretofore, most slips were characterized by longitudinal seams intermediately located on the sides of the garment and the effective width of the front panel extended from one such seam to the other. Hence, the provisions which slip designers incorporated in the said front in respect the said anatomical contours could not be confined thereto but were naturally afiected and subject to modification by the contiguous portions which overlapped on the sides of the slip. Ihe result thereof was that if the said sides failed to fit properly, then the front sulfered accordingly.

In the present instance, however, while the effective width of the front panel still extends from one such seam to the other, the said seams in this case do not extend around to the sides of the garment but are mainly confined to the front thereof. In the circumstances, it is much easier to incorporate the contoural provisions in the front of the present garment than in those of the prior art, since the other parts can, at best, have only a very minor effect thereon.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A slip of the character described comprising a skirt with a narrowed waist section and a vest consisting of, a front panel which merges with the said waist; symmetrical inelastic linear areas extending from upper corners of the front panel to th waist section at the back of the slip and defining a rounded valley; a round-ended insert in the said valley secured by its margins to said inelastic linear areas and to the said waist section, and shoulder straps connecting the upper front panel corners tc the insert; each said inelastic linear area being mainly vertical between the upper front panel corner and the waist and mainly horizontal thereafter.

2. A slip of the character described comprising a skirt with a narrowed waist section and a vest constituting the upper portion of the slip and consisting of a front panel which merges with the waist; said vest having also relatively low sides which merge with the front panel at antu'ior curvatures; a back panel joining the said sides to the waist section at the rear of the slip;

shoulder straps connecting upper front panel corners to the back panel, and inelastic linear areas extending from the upper corners of the front panel to points on their respectively adjacent anterior curvatures at or near the said waist.

3. A slip of the character described comprising a skirt with a narrowed Waist section and a vest constituting the upper portion of the slip and consisting of a front panel which merges with the waist and has inelastic side edges diverging from the top thereof; said vest having also relatively low sides which merge with the front panel at anterior curvatures; a back panel joining the said sides to the waist section at the rear of the slip, and shoulder straps connecting the upper front panel corners to the back panel; the said inelastic side edges intersecting their respectively adjacent anterior curvatures at or near the said waist.

4. A slip of the character described comprising a skirt with a narrowed waist section and a vest constituting the upper portion of the slip and consisting of a front panel which merges with the waist and Whose upper edge is characterized by spaced peaks; said Vest having also relatively low sides which merge with the front panel at anterior curvatures; a back panel joining the said sides to the waist section at the rear of the slip; shoulder straps connecting the said spaced peaks to the said back panel, and an inelastic, nearly rectilinear, area extending from each peak to its adjacent anterior curvature which it intersects at or near the said waist.

5. A slip of the character described comprising a skirt with a narrowed waist section and a vest constituting the upper portion of the slip and consisting of a front panel which merges with the waist; said vest having also relatively low sides which merge with the front panel at anterior curvatures; symmetrical inelastic linear areas extending from upper corners of the front panel to the waist section at the back of the slip and intersecting the said anterior curvatures at or near the waist; and a back panel joining the said sides to the waist section at the rear of the slip, and shoulder straps connecting the upper front panel corners to the back panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,045,401 Mowry June 23, 1936 2,054,439 Nichthauser Sept. 15, 1936 2,073,699 Katz Mar. 16, 1937 2,271,749 Strohmeier et al. Feb. 2, 1942 2,427,041 Bishop Sept. 9, 1947 2,473,393 Schwalbe June 14, 1949 

